Many different types of absorbent products exist that are designed to be worn or otherwise associated with the body for absorbing body fluids. Such absorbent products can include, but are not limited to, diapers, training pants, adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, bed liners, bandages, and the like. In some embodiments the absorbent articles contain a cover material, a liner, and an absorbent structure positioned in between the outer cover and the liner. The absorbent structure typically contains superabsorbent particles. Many absorbent articles, especially those sold under the trade name HUGGIES® by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, are so efficient at absorbing liquids that it is sometimes difficult for the wearer or the caregiver to tell whether or not the absorbent article has been insulted with a body fluid, such as urine.
Accordingly, various types of moisture or wetness indicators have been suggested for use in absorbent articles. The wetness indicators can be used for different purposes. For instance, the wetness indicators can be designed to assist parents or attendants by helping them identify a wet diaper condition early on.
Wetness indicators can also be used as a training aid for small children during the toilet training process. For example, wetness indicators can be designed to discourage small children from wetting the absorbent article and to encourage small children to use a toilet like an adult.
Wetness indicators used in the past have included wetness indicator graphics that have been printed on the absorbent article. Absorbent articles having wetness indicator graphics, for instance, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,424, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,710,221, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0149197, which are all incorporated herein by reference. Although the above patents have provided great advances in the art, further improvements are still needed.
For instance, prior commercial wetness indicator graphics have been created using water soluble inks that dissolve when wet. Thus, once contacted with urine, the graphics smear and fade indicating that the absorbent article is wet. Unfortunately, however, graphics produced with water soluble inks have been somewhat limited in size, shape, position, line width, color and the like in order to ensure sufficient fading when contacted with urine.
In addition, the fading graphics have been typically placed against a white background. Such fading graphics have been found to be somewhat difficult to discern by either the child wearing the absorbent article or by a caregiver or attendant. Thus, a need currently exists for further improvements in wetness indicator graphics that are designed to better indicate that the absorbent article has been wetted.